State Summative Assessments Report for 2015-2016 School Year

This report, conducted by the Education Commission on the States, looks at the shifting assessment landscape and identifies the types of assessment being given, at what grade levels, and for what subjects. This information was compiled in an effort to keep states and policy makers up to date on the current assessments being given and at what intervals, in compliance with the federal No Child Left Behind law and how they align with standards, most notably the Common Core Standards. A helpful chart provides an overview of the state summative assessments being administered in grades 3-12, how states are meeting minimum assessment requirements, the name of assessment vendors and state-specific assessments.

This report has several key takeaway points, such as:

Six states and Washington, D.C., plan to administer the full Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers (PARCC) assessment in 2015-16.

Fifteen states remain members of the Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortia, and all but one plan to administer the full assessment in grades 3-8 math and English language arts.

At least 25 states will administer a state-specific assessment in grades 3-8 math and English language arts

This is an update to the previous report, conducted by the this same organization in November 2014.